James Suckling (95-96)

Beautiful depth here, with currants and blackberries, as well as hints of fresh herbs and wet earth. Medium-to full-bodied, layered and long, with depth and beauty. Savory. Impressive for the vintage. Persistent.

Decanter (97)

Gorgeously aromatic and concentrated nose, rich with wild flowers and bramble fruits. Lovely cool blue fruits on the palate, blueberries, plums and black cherries with lashings of graphite, slate and liquorice giving a real spicy menthol mineral tone to the palate. Such complexity with poise and polish. Youthful for sure, but this will be excellent. The texture is so attractive and likeable. This has energy and vibrancy despite still being knitted down, it's just giving a hint of what's to come. Buy and hold on to.

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

The 2020 Château Calon Ségur is pure gold and another masterpiece from this estate. Harvested all in September and pulled from their 48 hectares of vines, the blend is 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot that spent 20 months all in new French oak, and it hit 13.2% natural alcohol. My notes started and ended with "wow," and this riveting Saint-Estèphe offers a heavenly bouquet of red and black currants, truffly earth, iron, espresso, and tobacco leaf. With incredible purity of fruit, full-bodied richness, and ultra-fine tannins, it's a deep, pure, layered 2020 that deserves at least 7-8 years of bottle age and will cruise for 40-50 years in cold cellars. Hats off to the team at Calon Ségur.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (97)

Nicolas Audebert and his team have done it again. The 2017 Canon is shaping up to be one of the wines of the vintage. Rich and vertical in construction, the 2017 possesses off-the-charts richness and intensity in all of its dimensions. In the glass, the 2017 is sumptuous and layered, with superb detail and tons of sheer pedigree. In 20 years, readers will have a fabulous time tasting the 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 together and debating their respective merits. Dark plum fruit, striking Franc aromatics and the clean, focused energy of Saint-Émilion's limestone plateau make for a ravishing, exquisite wine of the highest level. In a word: breathtaking.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (98)

The 2018 Canon is every bit as magnificent from bottle as it was from barrel. Maybe more so. Vertical and explosive in the glass, Canon sizzles with tension and vibrancy. Readers will find a majestic, soaring Grand Cru Classé that captures all the magic of Saint-Émilion's limestone plateau. Canon exudes mind-blowing precision and deliciousness. It is another magnificent effort from Technical Director Nicolas Audebert and his team.

Vinous - Neal Martin (95)

José Sanfins has overseen a 2019 Cantenac Brown that will give immense pleasure in coming years. The bouquet has tightened up since I tasted the barrel sample (also at the château, in summer 2021): blackberry, raspberry and cedar are now accompanied by just a touch of peppermint. The palate is medium-bodied, taut and fresh, with sappy red fruit, fine acidity and a vibrant, harmonious finish. This Margaux brims with confidence and should give 30 to 40 years of drinking pleasure. The insiders' Margaux of choice.

The Wine Independent (100)

The 2019 Cheval Blanc is a blend of 58% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Franc, and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon. 41 out of 53 blocks have had a part to play this year, representing 10 different soil types. The Grand Vin in 2019 represents 82% of production. Deep purple-black in color, it needs a lot of swirling to shake loose fragrant scents of Indian spice, potpourri, star anise, and cardamom, over a core of preserved plums, boysenberries, and charcoal with touches of wood smoke and cracked black pepper. Full-bodied, rich and immediately impactful in the mouth, the layered nuances slowly expand, beautifully framed by ripe, rounded tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with cascading savory and earth flavors and lots of lingering mineral notes.

James Suckling (97-98)

This is so finely textured with very precise, tight tannins. Medium to full body. Lots of layers here with black and blue fruit, stones, tar, dark cocoa and spices. Dried herbs. Long and persistent. Stays focused all the way. So precise. 52% cabernet franc, 43% merlot and 5% cabernet sauvignon.

Experience the superior quality craftsmanship of 'De Pez 2019', a testament to true Bordeaux mastery from one of St. Estephe's oldest vineyards. Meticulously produced at Château de Pez, a keen emphasis is laid on environmentally friendly agriculture and hand harvesting to inspire, realise and winnow the best produce. Devotion in every detail results in a wine that mirrors the terroir's authenticity.

Alluringly deep ruby in appearance, the De Pez 2019 presents a complex blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Matured in French oak barrels, it exudes profound notes of ripe red fruits adorned with hints of tobacco and spicy undertones. On the palate, it delivers a captivating combination of deep fruitiness mingled with polished tannins, culminating in an alluringly long finish. This full-bodied red orchestrates a symphony of taste, true to its Bordeaux lineage.

Unquestionably, De Pez 2019 is a benchmark exemplar of refined winemaking; a timeless choice for devotees of exceptional Bordeaux wines.

James Suckling (93)

This is a very solid Pomerol with a nice balance of fine, dry tannins with well-judged ripeness. But the red-fruit character is a bit shy and a couple of years are probably needed for it to open up fully. Long and complex, dry finish. Drink or hold.

James Suckling (99-100)

A very powerful Ducru with intense tannins and backbone, showing blue fruit, black tea and tobacco. Full-bodied with impressive structure and so much tannin. It goes on for minutes. Very traditional. Owner Bruno Borie said it is a wine to last forever and I have to agree. 80% cabernet sauvignon and 20% merlot.

The Wine Cellar Insider (94-96)

Crushed rocks, currants, cherries, flowers, licorice, smoke, cocoa and espresso covers all the bases in the perfume. Elegant and edgy, silky, soft and mineral driven, the fruits show a beautiful purity, freshness and refinement on the palate, leaving you with salty tannins and sweet plums that continue to linger and expand in the finish. The wine is made from a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc.

James Suckling (94-95)

I can’t remember a Haut-Batailley this tannic, yet the tannins are savory and very ripe with beauty and purity. Full-bodied, chewy tannins and a long and intense finish.

James Suckling (99)

Wow. The blackberry, dried-flower and orange-peel aromas are so impressive at first, but then they go to black truffle and wet earth. Full-bodied with a solid core of powerful yet fine-grained tannins. It goes on for minutes. A very muscular La Fleur-Pétrus. Drink after 2025.

The Wine Independent (100)

La Mission Haut-Brion 2018 has a deep garnet-purple color. It slowly unfurls to offer notes of blackcurrant cordial, plum preserves, and Morello cherries, leading to hints of menthol, cedar, pencil lead, and roses, plus a touch of unsmoked cigars. Full-bodied, rich and opulent on the palate, it is jam-packed with juicy black fruits and loads of fragrant accents, supported by ripe, grainy tannins, finishing long and earthy.

The Wine Independent (100)

Lafleur 2015 is a blend of 51% Merlot and 49% Cabernet Franc and has a medium to deep garnet color. It shoots from the glass with opulent scents of baked blackberries, warm plums, and tar with nuances of violets, licorice, dark chocolate, and crushed rocks. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is built like a brick house, featuring firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing on a lingering fragrant earth note.

Vinous - Neal Martin (95)

The 2016 Lafon-Rochet has a very engaging bouquet, a mixture of red and black fruit laced with pencil shavings and loamy scents. In fact, the more you nose this wine, the more its complexity becomes apparent. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and a fine line of acidity, ripe and generous yet maintaining outstanding tension and revealing a judicious touch of peppercorns on the finish, which fans out gloriously. This is a fabulous Lafon-Rochet and certainly the best bottle of 2016 that I have encountered. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting.

James Suckling (92-93)

Bright and vivid with blackcurrants, dried flowers and hints of spice to the energetic fruit. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, racy tannins and a long finish. Very well done.

James Suckling (99)

Ripe and very powerful aromas of black licorice, currants and violets. Full-bodied, dense and flavorful with lots of very new, flashy wood. Sexy and gorgeous. Round and polished tannins. Superb wine for the vintage.

Jeb Dunnuck (96)

I loved the 2019 Château Latour-Martillac, and I under-rated it from barrel. Revealing a dense ruby/plum color as well as a gorgeous bouquet of blackcurrants, black cherry, smoked tobacco, gravely earth, and chocolate, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a round, layered mouthfeel, supple tannins, and one heck of a finish. It's beautifully done and will cruise for 25+ years in cold cellars. It needs plenty of air if drinking any time soon.

James Suckling (96-97)

Very plush and tannic with full body and lots of structure and intensity. Top second wine. Very solid and quite muscular with fine tannins and texture.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94)

The 2020 Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte is a gorgeous second wine. Dark cherry, grilled herbs, menthol, licorice, plum, spice and tobacco infuse the 2020 with striking aromatic nuance. Cabernet Sauvignon drives the blend, and that is very much in evidence in the wine's flavor profile and overall structure. There's terrific depth and density here, not to mention tons of character.

James Suckling (98-99)

This has a firm, seamless and velvety tannin structure, accompanying a deep core of dark plum fruit, peach stones, chocolate and mahogany. Layered and caressing. Supple, yet full and powerful. Silky and smooth at the end. It shows real structure for the vintage and will age really well. 100% merlot.

Decanter (95)

All of the Left Bank firsts are tasting excellent, but Margaux stands out for the tightness and clarity of its sweet cherry and cassis fruit expression, the menthol grip on the finish, and the perfume that runs through the palate. This is a vintage that could almost be ready to drink with a good carafing, but the layers of graphite and the finesse to the tannins suggest it could also go longer. A great example of the subtle crafting possible in 2007.

The Wine Cellar Insider (94)

Coming along nicely, the wine is already softening, filling out, and adding layers of complexity. Rich, full-bodied, lush, silky, and fresh, the layers of deep black and red fruits feel great on your palate and in the long, showy finish. This is developing in all the right ways.

Wine Advocate (96)

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Marquis d'Alesme Becker leaps from the glass with gregarious notions of plum preserves, crème de cassis and Black Forest cake with hints of potpourri, star anise, menthol and tapenade. Full, rich, firm and grainy, with fantastic freshness lifting the densely packed palate, it has a long, beautifully fragrant finish.

Jeb Dunnuck (93-95)

Brought into the US exclusively by Jeffrey Davies, the 2017 Château Marquis d'Alesme Becker might just be the finest wine from this estate to date. Made from 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot and the rest Petit Verdot, aged in 65% new French oak, its deep purple color is followed by a gorgeous perfume of crème de cassis, black cherries, crushed violets, and cedary spice. Possessing terrific purity of fruit, medium to full body, building tannin, and a great finish, this balanced, impeccably made 2017 will need 2-4 years of cellaring and keep for two decades or more. It’s a gem in the vintage and readers owe it to themselves to check out this estate, which has an undeniably gorgeous terroir.

Wine Advocate (92-94)

Produced by Denis Durantou of Château L’Eglise Clinet, the 2018 Montlandrie is a blend of 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon with 14.5% alcohol and is currently aging in 40% new oak. Deep purple-black in color, it features fragrant notes of lilacs, Morello cherries and blueberry compote over a core of plum preserves and woodsmoke plus a waft of underbrush. The medium to full-bodied palate is richly fruited with black and blue fruits, lifted by earthy accents and lovely freshness, finishing long and velvety textured.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (94)

This is an excellent vintage of Montlandrie, with smoked coffee and cocoa bean, a ton of salinity, powerful blue and red fruits, super juicy on the finish. Enticing curled woodsmoke as it comes out of the glass, slate finish with a scrape of minerality. 40% new oak. Harvest September 30 to October 10.